22. Chris Cunningham

Here's a little something by Chris Cunningham known for his work on music videos and short films. "Rubber Johnny" is truly bizarre and a little disturbing to say the least. Nonetheless, never seen anything like it. Pretty weird, but also, I can't not watch.

Rubber Johnny

All Is Full of Love

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Who is Chris Cunningham?

21. Bruce Bickford

Ever since I saw the documentary Monster Road, I have never been able to get this Seattle animator's work out of my mind. This guy's stuff is bizarrely psychedelic in the way that the forms morph from one thing to another. Weirdness.

Cas'l' (excerpt)

Boar's Head (excerpt)

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Who is Bruce Bickford?

20. Vincent van Gogh

I was lucky enough to catch a Van Gogh exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum many years ago where they had The Café Terrace on the Place du Forum, Arles, at Night on display. I figure I can't have an art blog and not feature one of the most skilled and ingenious artists of all time. The colors and impressions made are rich, expressive, and gorgeous.

Road with Cypress and Star. Oil on canvas. 1890.

Irises. Oil on canvas. 1889.

Self-Portrait. Oil on canvas. 1889.

Wheat Field with Cypresses. Oil on canvas. 1889.

The Potato Eaters. Oil on canvas. 1885.

Starry Night. Oil on canvas. 1889.

Vase with 12 sunflowers. Oil on canvas. 1888.

The Café Terrace on the Place du Forum, Arles, at Night. Oil on canvas. 1888.

Bedroom in Arles. Oil on canvas. 1888.
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Who is Vincent van Gogh?

19. Yuriy Norshteyn

This animator creates some very delightful effects with his very soft and mysterious style. Hedgehog in the Fog is probably one of my favorite animated shorts. I learned about Norshteyn when watching a documentary on Michel Gondry and how he was inspired by Hedgehog in the Fog in creating the Human Behavior video for Björk (also a really cool video).

Hedgehog in the Fog

The Heron and the Crane
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Who is Yuriy Norshteyn?

18. TATS CRU

Ever since reading Graffiti New York by Eric Felisbret, I've been fascinated with the underground world of graffiti. While they have been criticized for going commercial, you can't say they don't have skill. Check these productions out by the legendary Tats Cru from the Bronx (be sure to click on the pics to get a close-up of the mural images).










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Who are TATS CRU?

17. Walt Disney

Okay, there are some people who really have a bone to pick with Disney, but these are classics. I'm not talking about what Disney is now, but what it was then. Here is a sequence of animation along with some stills. Night on Bald Mountain is killer!

Fantasia: Night on Bald Mountain. 1940.

Alice in Wonderland. 1951.

Fantasia: Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. 1940.

Fantasia: The Sorceror's Apprentice. 1940.
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Who is Walt Disney?

16. Jackson Pollock

Not everyone is a fan of this artist's work, but I will say that "Autumn Rhythm" is a nicely balanced piece. While it is what you might essentially call "splatter art", Pollock managed to achieve a sense of lively movement and expressive animation. The Seattle Art Museum has one of his paintings ("Sea Change") on display in their permanent collection. Check it out on a free first Thursday.

Autumn Rhythm (No. 30). Oil on canvas. 1950.

Full Fathom Five. Oil on canvas. 1947.

Convergence. Oil on canvas. 1952.

No. 18. Oil on canvas. 1950.

No. 5. Oil on canvas. 1948.
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Who is Jackson Pollock?